What are the hazards of plastic cups to the human body

Plastic is an indispensable material in our lives today. Plastics are used to make many daily necessities. So there are many plastic products in our lives, such as plastic sheets, plastic cups and so on. Some plastics are harmless to the human body, but some plastic materials are very harmful to the body. We must pay special attention when using it normally. So what are the hazards of plastic cups to the human body? Let’s talk about it below.

No. 1——PET: mineral water, carbonated beverage bottles. Do not recycle beverage bottles to hold hot water. They are heat-resistant up to 65℃ and cold-resistant to -20℃. They are only suitable for warm or frozen drinks. They are easily deformed when filled with high-temperature liquids or heated, and substances harmful to the body may melt out. In addition, scientists have found that after 10 months of use, plastic No. 1 may release carcinogens that are toxic to the testicles. Therefore, throw away beverage bottles after use. Do not use them as water cups or storage containers for other items to avoid causing health problems that are not worth the cost. No. 2——HDPE: Cleaning and bathing products. It is recommended not to recycle them if they are not cleaned thoroughly. They can be reused after careful cleaning, but these containers are usually difficult to clean and may contain residual cleaning products, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. It is best not to recycle them. No. 3—PVC: rarely used in food packaging, it is best not to buy this material. Harmful substances are easily produced at high temperatures, and it will even be released during the manufacturing process. After the toxic substances enter the body with food, they may cause diseases such as breast cancer and congenital defects in newborns. At present, containers made of this material are rarely used to package food. If in use, never expose it to heat. No. 4——LDPE: cling film, plastic film, etc. Tear off the cling film when putting food into the microwave. The heat resistance is not strong. Usually, qualified PE cling film will melt when the temperature exceeds 110℃, leaving some plastic preparations that cannot be decomposed by the body. In addition, when wrapping food in plastic wrap and heating it, the fat in the food can easily dissolve the harmful substances in the plastic wrap. Therefore, before putting food into the microwave, you must first remove the plastic wrap. No. 5—PP: Microwave lunch boxes and fresh-keeping boxes. Remove the lid before putting them into the microwave. Because microwave lunch boxes generally use PP specially made for microwave ovens (polypropylene, which can withstand high temperatures of 120°C and low temperatures of -20°C), and due to the cost, the lid is generally not made of special PP. When putting them in the microwave, you need to remove the lid before use. Because most of the various bayonet-type fresh-keeping boxes use transparent PP instead of special PP, they generally cannot be used in the microwave. The only plastic container that is microwave safe and can be reused after careful cleaning. It should be noted that some microwave lunch boxes are indeed made of No. 5 PP for the box body, but the lid is made of No. 1 PE. Since PE cannot withstand high temperatures, it cannot be put into the microwave together with the box body. To be on the safe side, remove the lid before placing the container in the microwave. No. 6——PS: Don’t use a microwave to cook instant noodles in bowls. They are heat-resistant and cold-resistant, but cannot be put into a microwave oven to avoid the release of chemicals due to excessive temperature (chemicals will be released when the temperature is 70℃). And it cannot be used to carry strong acids (such as orange juice) or strong alkaline substances, because it will decompose polystyrene, which is harmful to the human body and can easily cause cancer. Therefore, you should try to avoid packing hot food in fast food containers. No. 7——PC: Kettles, cups, and baby bottles. PC glue releases bisphenol A when heated. It is a widely used material, especially used in baby bottles. It is controversial because it contains bisphenol A. Lin Hanhua, associate professor of the Department of Biology and Chemistry at City University of Hong Kong, said that in theory, as long as bisphenol A is 100% converted into plastic structure during the production of PC, it means that the product does not contain any bisphenol A, let alone release. However, if a small amount of BPA is not converted into the plastic structure of PC, it may be released and enter food or drinks. Therefore, it is better to be careful.

The harms of plastic cups to the human body are as introduced above. If you don’t pay more attention to them in normal times, the harm to the human body will be relatively large. It can cause many physical illnesses. So you must pay special attention to it in normal times. In addition, when using plastic products, be sure to use them in the correct way.